In a known internal combustion engine, a turbocharger is attached to the engine with a central axial line of the turbocharger extending in parallel with the cylinder row direction of the engine, and a catalytic converter included in the exhaust pipe extends from an outlet end of the turbine of the turbocharger in an oblique direction toward the side of the compressor of the turbocharger. See JP2007-85292A, for instance. This arrangement allows the catalytic converter to be positioned in a space created under the turbocharger so that the catalytic converter and the turbocharger can be favorably accommodated in a limited space of the engine room.
However, the catalytic converter is known to emit a significant amount of heat during the operation of the engine so that the compressor which is positioned directly above the catalytic converter is exposed to the heat from the catalytic converter. A turbocharger is typically provided with a wastegate valve for controlling the flow of exhaust gas in the turbine. An actuator for the wastegate valve is typically attached to the housing of the compressor, and is connected to the wastegate valve via a relatively long linkage in order to protect the actuator from the heat of the turbine. When the catalytic converter is positioned directly under the actuator or otherwise located near the actuator, the heat from the catalytic converter as well as the heat from the turbine may adversely affect the actuator. Even if the exhaust pipe does not include the catalytic converter, the heat from the exhaust pipe may adversely affect the actuator if the exhaust pipe is located near the actuator.